i8

THE RUSSIAN FLEET

ships were clapped upon the stocks at St. Peters-burg ; and at Archangel a Hollander built of firtimber 3 ships of 52 guns each, and 3 frigates. Thelatter sailing from thence, one foundered; the othertwo, called the St. Peter and St. Paul, commandedby the Captains Rays and Brants, cruised in theNorth Sea: and taking several prizes from theSwedes, some from under the convoy of Englishmen-of-war, wintered this year in Norway. 1

V OPERATIONS IN 1712.

In the spring 1712 the ships of war conducteda second supply of provisions to Viborg. ThePernau was brought down over the Bar and fittedfor sea. In July the whole fleet lay ready to sail,when a Swedish man-of-war, a frigate, and a snowappeared in the offing. The Russ warped out inthe night; and Vice-Admiral Cruys on board theViborg striking his flag wore only a distinguishingpennant, 2 ordering the flag to be hoisted aboard theDumcraft, that came not out of the haven. Early inthe morning the Pernau, Samson and Lesela wereordered to give chase, attended by seven half-galleys 3and as many brigantines to tow in case of a calm. TheSwedes lay by expecting them ; the Vice-Admiralobserving it detached the Riga to their assistance ;then the Swedes made off; and when the Russ werenow within a league of the enemy, the Vice-Admiral

1 Then part of the Danish kingdom.

2 MS. £ pennon.’ As an official term ‘ broad pennant ’ is correct.Nelson in a letter to the Admiral says ‘ broad pennant’ (February 12,1785), but in writing to the Admiralty uses the term c distinguishingpennant’ (February 17, 1785).—Laughton, Nelson's Letters andDesp., pp. 29, 30, 31. See post, p. 121, where the author uses theword £ broad.’

3 Half-galley, £ a sort of smaller galley with lighter armament ’{Studier dfver Svenska Skargards-Flottans Historia , &c.—anony-mous, but apparently by Mankell—Stockholm, 1855, p. 25).